A coalition of the UK’s leading environmental groups, including the Campaign to Protect Rural England, National Trust, RSPB and Friends of the Earth, are today calling for all political parties to commit to a greener Britain by 2020 by pledging seven major priorities at the next election to reform the way we use energy, build communities and protect nature.

The first ‘Boris Bike’ cycle hire scheme in the countryside faces being scrapped on Tuesday on the basis that local residents believe it is not ‘right to introduce more cyclists onto New Forest roads’.

Ministerial intervention and planning reforms have resulted in a 20% drop in approvals for wind turbines and solar farms in the countryside over the last year, a new report launched by the Campaign to Protect Rural England concludes.

The Government has today (Tuesday) shown its contempt for cross-party expertise and specialists across the retail, recycling, manufacturing and third sectors by categorically rejecting the Environmental Audit Committee’s recommendations on how to develop a carrier bag charging scheme that would deliver the best results in England.